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For The Love Of Joe

There is no doubt in any Twins fan’s mind that Rod Carew is one of, if not the greatest players in team history. He is beloved by Twins fans who may or may not even remember his playing career which ended (and not prettyily) with the Twins after the 1978 season, nearly 40 years ago.

Now consider this. In his 12 seasons in a Twins uniform, his on-base percentage was .393. His slugging percentage was .448. His OPS was .841.

Now consider, Joe Mauer career numbers in a Twins uniform include a .393 on-base percentage, a .447 slugging percentage and an OPS of .840.

Now, not even I will tell you that Joe Mauer’s Twins career has been as great as Carew’s. Carew was an All-Star all 12 of those seasons. Mauer has participated in six. Mauer has won three batting titles. No catcher had a batting championship in about 55 years when Mauer did it the first time, and no American League catcher had ever done it. Carew won so many American League batting titles that Major League Baseball announced at this year’s All-Star Game that all AL batting champions going forward will win the Rod Carew Award.

No, I won’t tell you that Joe Mauer is the greatest player in Twins history. There’s no reason to make such claims. What I think the numbers below will illustrate for you is that he is, without a doubt, one of the top five hitters in Minnesota Twins history. (In fact, I wouldn’t rank him lower than fourth if I were asked to.)

Image courtesy of Betsy Bissen (photo of Joe Mauer)

Below is where Joe Mauer ranks in most offensive statistics in his career with the Twins. Obviously there have been a lot of really good players, and there have been Hall of Fame caliber players. To be an all-time great for a team, obviously longevity plays a huge role. There aren’t a lot of players who have played 12 years in the big leagues with the same organization anymore.

It seems that with greatness these days, players are expected to be more. Mauer is expected to keep hitting .330 every season despite the fact that he is now 33-years-old and caught for the first 14 seasons of his professional career (not to mention the years of amateur ball).

People seem to forget the fact that when he suffered his season-ending concussion late in the 2013 season, he was hitting .324/.404/.476 (.880) which as 42% better than the average player by OPS+.

Games Played: 1,573 - #6 in Twins historyAs you would expect, Harmon Killebrew (1,939) leads the way with Kirby Puckett (1,783) about a season behind. Next up for Mauer is Rob Carew (1,635). By the end of his current contract, Mauer should have played around 1,900 games and in clear sight of Killebrew’s top spot.

WAR (Wins Above Replacement): #4 in Twins historyRod Carew has a big advantage in this one, sitting at 63.7 for his Twins career. Harmon Killebrew was at 53.7, and Kirby Puckett was at 50.9. By Baseball-Reference, Mauer has been worth about 2.4 WAR in 2016. He’s not going to catch Carew, but with two more seasons like 2016, he’ll easily pass Puckett and Killebrew in the Twins rankings.

Runs Scored: 879 - #5 in Twins historyKirby Puckett tops the list at 1,071. Harmon Killebrew is #2 at 1047. Next up for Mauer on this list is Kent Hrbek and 903. By the end of the two years left on his current contract, he should have passed a thousand runs scored and be right on the tail of Killebrew.

Hits: 1,814 - #4 in Twins historyKirby Puckett leads the way with 2,304 hits. Second is Rod Carew at 2,085. Next on the list for Mauer is Tony Oliva, whom he should pass around the All-Star break next year. He will likely pass Carew by the end of the 2018 season as well.

Doubles: 360 - #2 in Twins historyOnly Kirby Puckett has more doubles in Twins history. He hit 414 doubles in his career. Though inexplicably he has hit fewer doubles this season, Mauer is typically good for 30+ doubles a year. If he can reach that number the next two seasons, he’ll likely be atop this category by the end of 2018 too.

Triples: 28 - #13 in Twins historyRod Carew tops this list by a bunch with 90. Next up for Mauer will be John Castino at 34. Unlikely he’ll do that, though triples are a bit random.

Home Runs: 129 - #12 in Twins historyObviously Harmon Killebrew tops this category with 475 homers. Kent Hrbek is well behind at 293. Eight players in Twins history have hit over 200 homers in a Twins uniform. Mauer isn’t going to get there, but it’s possible he jumps into ninth place. With 34 homers, he can pass his current hitting coach, Tom Brunansky, who hit 163 homers in his six seasons with the Twins. Next for Mauer are Jacque Jones (132) and Michael Cuddyer (141).

RBI: 800 - #6 in Twins historyOn Tuesday night, Mauer knocked in the 800th run of his career. He is the sixth player in Twins history to reach that number. Again, Killebrew leads the way with 1,325 RBI. Mauer should surpass Justin Morneau’s 860 next season.

Walks: 811 - #3 in Twins historySurprise! It’s Harmon Killebrew leading the way in this category as well with 1,321 punch outs. Early next season, he will pass Kent Hrbek who walked 838 times in his Twins career.

Intentional Walks: 137 - #2 in Twins historyMauer is just 15 intentional walks behind Killebrew’s 152. This statistic speaks to the respect that Mauer has around the league and with opposing managers. Even this year, there have been several times that Mauer has been walked to get to Miguel Sano.

Strikeouts: 852 - #5 in Twins historyYou’ve got it! Killebrew leads this one by a wide margin too, with 1,314. Torii Hunter is #2 on the list with 975. Mauer will pass Gary Gaetti late this season or early next year, and he’s almost certain to pass both Puckett and Hunter before the end of his contract is up.

Batting Average: .310 - #3 in Twins history (2,000+ PAs), #5 in Twins history (1,500 PAs)Carew leads this one by a healthy margin with a .334 career average. Next up is Kirby Puckett at .318. That is the same average as Lyman Bostock who didn’t reach 2,000 plate appearances with the Twins. Paul Molitor also didn’t reach 2,000 plate appearances, but he hit .312 over his three seasons with the Twins. Let’s hope that Mauer is able to keep his career average over .300.

On-Base Percentage: .393 - #1 in Twins history (2,000+ PAs)Mauer is currently tied with Carew at .393. They are just ahead of Chuck Knoblauch’s .391 on-base percentage during his six seasons with the Twins.

OPS: .840 - #5 in Twins historyKillebrew tops the list at .901. Shane Mack’s underrated time with the Twins ranks second on the list at .854. Kent Hrbek ranks third at .848, and Rod Carew is at .841.

So there you have it… a look at the raw numbers of Joe Mauer, with how they rank among Twins all-time leaders.

In his 13 years in the big leagues, Mauer has some terrific overall numbers. His rate numbers have certainly taken a tumble the last few years, again, since the concussion. 2014 and 2015 were difficult, but 2016 has been a nice season for Mauer. No, not a .330 season, but a very solid season.

Mauer is hitting .276/.376/.406 (.781) which equates to 13% above average (113 OPS+).

HALL OF FAME?

Yes, Joe Mauer will be inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame. He will also be the last player in Twins history to wear the #7. But is the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown still a possibility for Mauer.

It’s never a real good reason to simply compare the numbers of any player against current Hall of Famers because there are certainly several Hall of Famers who, under today’s scrutiny,would likely not be inducted. But, just so you have it at your fingertips, here is a complete list of the 17 players in the Hall of Fame who played primarily at catcher:

Add Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez who should go into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, though likely not for a couple of years.

I feel like Mauer will likely be one of those guys who is on the ballot all ten years and then doesn’t get it. But I would be pleasantly surprised if he does.

Like I said earlier. I get it. Mauer set the bar high when he came to the big leagues as a 20 year old in 2004. He set it high when he became the first American League catcher to win a batting title. And then he did it two more times. He set the bar high when he led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS in 2009 when he won the AL MVP.

People want to complain about the contract. He earned the contract. Get over it. People want to complain about him not catching. There isn’t a doctor who would support that idea. It won’t happen. Get over it. The doctors won’t support it because he had a brain injury. Its effects lasted a few years. He’s been durable the last few years, and he’s become a pretty good defensive first baseman through hard work. He’s been in the lineup most days. He doesn’t say the exciting things to the media. Oh well. He doesn’t pull the ball often enough. He doesn’t expand the strike zone. He takes too many first-pitch strikes. He doesn’t show enough fire. He should get thrown out of games more often.

He may not be the perfect baseball player. He may not be what you picture for a great major league player. But, if you consider his position, his rankings in the organization’s history, and the respect that he has earned in the game of baseball, he’s had a pretty good career (note - ‘pretty good’ is low-balling it significantly).

I get that the Twins haven’t been great the last several years. I get that Mauer’s career trajectory took a huge fall the day that that foul tip jarred his face mask. But of all of the things to complain about in 2016 for Twins fans, Joe Mauer (anything about Joe Mauer) should not be in the top 15-20 things.

Maybe it's time for Twins fans to realize the greatness that we have had the opportunity to see the last 13 seasons so that kids wh will be our age in 40 years don't think more highly of Mauer than we do today.

125 Comments

I know that Joe Mauer is a fan-favorite of many, and that his9-season run from 2005-2013 easily qualifies him as the bestcatcher in team history. At one point in his career, he seemeddestined for Cooperstown.

The fact is, however, that careers are a total body of work. At age31, his decline was steep. From one season to the next, he morphedfrom a .320 hitter to .270. And the .270-range is where he hasresided since 2014, at first base no less, with an average ofabout 12 home runs and 65 RBI per season. That type of production (such as it is) is what we can expect during his two remaining seasons in a Twins uniform. Or when his contract mercifully expires atthe conclusion of 2018.

The best comparison I can come up with is Don Mattingly. His first 7 or 8 seasons, he absolutely raked. But injuries took their toll,and from ages 30-34 his drop anticipated that of Mauer’s. And byage 35 or so, he was out of baseball.

Don Mattingly and Joe Mauer are not going to the Hall-of-FamebecauseA - their run of greatness just was not long enoughB - the mediocre era of their careers started too early and lastedtoo longC - They had no defining October moments.

Things that people say that make my head explode when talking about Joe Mauer:
He makes too much money, he isnt worth it, he should give it back to the Twins- bc billionaire baseball owners never have enough.

Let's move Joe Mauer to catcher.

Let's trade Joe Mauer to Boston or NY because that no trade clause is really a suggestion anyway.

Please note I made up my own reasons for why people say things about Joe Mauer.

If his career ended a couple years ago, I think he'd have been a lock like Puckett. Not quite sure now to be honest, though I'm not sure how a couple of bad seasons post concussion suddenly makes him not an HOF.I think if he can rebound a bit in his 30s and post a few .800ish OPS type seasons, that might change some perception as his counting stats will clear that 2000 hit mark.If he could make another run at a batting title into his 30s, that would probably help as well.

That said, Mauer would be served making an HOF case if he could switch to a defense first position, play said defense well, while continuing to hit they way he has hit this year... I'm guessing that won't happen for a number of reasons, most of which I'd add are quite valid (note I'm not saying he should become a SS).

That said, if I had a card, I'd vote him in based on his run as a catcher.

In addition, Mauer's HOF case is going to be hurt by his lack of postseason success.

By the end of 2018 he'll be 4+ years removed from being a full-time catcher, so the "bump" from playing that position might not bee dso fresh in the minds of voters.

I do think he has like a 40-50% chance of getting in. I think the last 2-3 classes have been so good (Maddux, Pedro, Randy Johnson, Griffey, Piazza) that we forget the likes of Andre Dawson, Ron Santo, Jim Rice, and Goose Gossage, players with some holes in their games/resumes, have gotten in recently.

I think if he can rebound a bit in his 30s and post a few .800ish OPS type seasons, that might change some perception as his counting stats will clear that 2000 hit mark.

If Joe's OPS continues to drift upward for a year or two and flirts with .800 for awhile, I think that helps his cause. At that point, it's painfully clear the concussion is what derailed his career (despite what many have argued over the past few years).

Just look at that OPS by year:

.939 (SSS)

.783

.936

.808

.864

1.031

.871

.729 (bizarre injury year)

.861

.880

concussion

.732

.718

.779

If Joe posts another .780-ish season, I don't see how anyone can argue the concussion is what did him in. It wasn't the shifts, it wasn't aging, it was the knock to his face. Sure, maybe those other things contributed a bit but shifts and aging don't account for 150 OPS points overnight. Hell, look at the Cubs, the most advanced team in the league. They (mostly) stopped shifting, which puts into doubt its overall efficacy.

Twins HOF - or course. MLB, no - another very good catcher who because of injuries lost his chances. That happens, the HOF is an accumulating ranking - hitting certain numbers is a matter of longevity and talent, but not necessarily the best talent during the career span.

Had Joe retired when the concussion happened he would be in, like Kirby, but now he can join Torii in the Target field hall.

What Joe lacks compared to some of these greats is the passion. Kirby and Torii played the game with such enthusiasm that the bat was an addition and not the only reason they were beloved. Joe is so Minnesotan that we never see his emotions. We do not have the give me the bat and I will win this for the team feeling that was in the stadium when I watched the Puckett/Morris world series.

Joe goes into that hall of very good, but not really great! Check out this list of some of the best catchers not in the hall - http://bleacherrepor...he-hall-of-fame - there is even a Minnesotan on it. But the top 8 rank ahead of Joe - Here is number 8 - Walker Cooper – 18 years Walker’s major league career began in 1940 and ended in 1957. Cooper batted over .300 eight times. He was named to eight consecutive all-star teams, and played in three World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. His career statistics re: BA=.285, HR=173, RBI=812, OBP=.332, SLUG%=.464, OPS=116,FLD%=.977,CS%=.35.

Another possible reason for much of the 'dislike' of Mauer is the fact that for the last several years he has played on a team without a true 3 hitter, or for that matter a 4 hitter. His style of hitting does not fit either slot well, yet he was constantly placed in the 3 spot. One could argue because there was no other alternative, or that the manager in question was not very adept at lineup construction. On various days, in various seasons either argument could be valid. Last but not least, the lack of any protection certainly makes a difference. And to concur with another poster, why is his contract a matter of value analysis. Second,it isn't my/our money, and first he was worth it when it was signed, for various well belabored reasons. It's over.

Another possible reason for much of the 'dislike' of Mauer is the fact that for the last several years he has played on a team without a true 3 hitter, or for that matter a 4 hitter. His style of hitting does not fit either slot well, yet he was constantly placed in the 3 spot. One could argue because there was no other alternative, or that the manager in question was not very adept at lineup construction. On various days, in various seasons either argument could be valid. Last but not least, the lack of any protection certainly makes a difference. And to concur with another poster, why is his contract a matter of value analysis. Second,it isn't my/our money, and first he was worth it when it was signed, for various well belabored reasons. It's over.

If Mauer is disliked by fans for batting 3rd, then their dislike is misplaced.

If Mauer is disliked by fans for batting 3rd, then their dislike is misplaced.

Or, perhaps some of that dislike stems from a perception that he refuses to modify plate appearances to fit the role, or fit specific situations, as some of us believe is required to maximize the team's chances of winning.

Generally, I see a lot of people bemoan that others dislike Mauer. But I don't see people ragging on him. Maybe some of you frequent other, darker parts of the internet. Maybe some of you remember criticisms of him from long ago.

As the OP said, Mauer will be in the Twins HOF. None of us know if he will be in Cooperstown. One would think that voters will still be trying to figure out what to do with steroids-era players by the time the conversation comes up, which may help his chances as being the Golden Boy. But this is too far away to really be guessing at in any serious way.

Or, perhaps some of that dislike stems from a perception that he refuses to modify plate appearances to fit the role, or fit specific situations, as some of us believe is required to maximize the team's chances of winning.

Perhaps he has tried, but that is just not the type of hitter he is or can be. Perception is one thing, actuality is another. Sometimes they are the same, but unless you know for sure, and I suspect you don't, then I think your dislike is misplaced. If your perception is true, then it's still up to the manager to bat him in the appropriate place, and that's not what happens. If he won't or can't adjust, then the manager is wrong to continue batting him there. Period. And I think your dislike of Joe for that is still misplaced, with all due respect.

One method used to determine if a player is HOF-worthy is the "JAWS" system created by Jay Jaffe. It looks at both career WAR and 7-Year Peak WAR. There are 14 catchers in the HOF. Mauer is ranked 11th all-time in career bWAR and 5th all-time in 7-year peak bWAR. (JAWS uses Baseball Reference, not Fangraphs)

By these numbers, Mauer should get into the Hall. Arguments against him include lack of championships, down years late in the career, and not playing in New York, LA or Boston. I'd vote for him.

One method used to determine if a player is HOF-worthy is the "JAWS" system created by Jay Jaffe. It looks at both career WAR and 7-Year Peak WAR. There are 14 catchers in the HOF. Mauer is ranked 11th all-time in career bWAR and 5th all-time in 7-year peak bWAR. (JAWS uses Baseball Reference, not Fangraphs)

By these numbers, Mauer should get into the Hall. Arguments against him include lack of championships, down years late in the career, and not playing in New York, LA or Boston. I'd vote for him.

Unfortunately JAWS is adjusted by position and you are looking at catcher numbers. It's going to be a hard sell to get him in based on that.

I think he is, and I assume you mean that the dislike should be at either the manager or the FO, as I believe.

During the Morneau years, I had no problem with him in the 3 hole. There's a reason Morneau put up monster RBI tallies in those years - the guy hitting in front of him was on base 40%-45% of the time. How the rest of the roster is constructed is out of his control and certainly not his issue. With no true #2, #3, or #4 hitting in the lineup for the last handful of years, there's only so much that could be done. That lies on the FO and to perhaps a far lesser degree on the manager.

Even today, I realize that he isn't a 3 hitter but I don't know where to put him and I certainly don't know who to put in the 3 hole in his stead. Again, that's not on Joe.

I've always enjoyed watching him hit. I don't stop whatever I'm doing during his plate appearances like I used to, but I still enjoy watching the swing. I think he's a borderline HOF player who will be on the ballot all 10 years.

Mauer's JAWS score is almost exactly average for a HoF catcher. But at 897 games played at C, he would be at the lower extreme amongst HoF C's, which IMO calls into question whether his career should be weighed against C, or maybe 60/40 against HoF Cs and HoF 1Bs where his JAWS score would be quite a bit below the 1B average.

Mauer's JAWS score is almost exactly average for a HoF catcher. But at 897 games played at C, he would be at the lower extreme amongst HoF C's, which IMO calls into question whether his career should be weighed against C, or maybe 60/40 against HoF Cs and HoF 1Bs where his JAWS score would be quite a bit below the 1B average.

By the time Joe retires, he will have played more games at 1B and those catcher comparisons for JAWS will disappear from Baseball Reference.

If Joe were still a catcher, he'd be a certain HOF, but that's the issue with him. He was a regular All-Star while catching but has always been an after thought at 1B since moving there. If he were still a catcher--and I'm not calling for it--he would more than likely still be an All-Star with his numbers. They aren't bad for a catcher, but they aren't nearly enough for a 1B. And for his salary we need many more HRs, RBIs, and clutch hits from him.

You have to like and respect Joe Mauer as a person, but even as a concussed 1B there isn't enough to justify full time duty especially as we find out who fits in our future.

I can't help but wonder how things for the Twins and Mauer's career perception would be different if his RBI double in the playoffs had been accurately called fair.

I doubt it would matter much. Mauer was leading off that inning, so there was no RBI. He got on an and eventually he made it to third base and they still couldn't score him. Since we're talking about the Twins against the Yankees in the post-season, I'd assume that even if Mauer had hit a homerun there, the Twins still lose the game.